Easy, Ethical & Profitable Sales Tips For Serious Entrepreneurs

Can marketers really “control” minds?

Not to burst any goo-roo bubbles… but I kinda doubt it.

Maybe that disappoints some.

Yet, as far as I can tell, even the goo-rooest of goo-roos can’t control another person’s mind with their marketing, and force them to buy something helplessly against their will.

But you know what?

Just because you can’t “control” someone’s mind with your marketing doesn’t mean you can’t at least temporarily influence the “conversation” going on in their heads.

The nightly news nitwits do it all the time.

You can be happily eating your dinner or playing with your dog and then — boom! — some talking head on the boob tube tries freaking you out about whatever the scare-of-the-day is.

It’s how they keep people glued to the show.

And how they get lots of ratings that brings in more ad revenue so they can do it all over again the next day… and then do it all over again the next day…

Ugh.

Luckily, there’s a a GOOD way to do this.

A way that HELPS people.

And that also just happens to bring in more of the green stuff.

How?

Email, baby.

If you know how to do email, you can slip into your reader’s mind (in a fun, ethical and NON-scummy way) each day, and give them a fun little adventure… instead of the usual steamy pile of goo-roo offers, spam, political drama, bad news, etc.

This way, everyone wins.

You get to bond with your list more (and maybe make a sale) and they get to forget the daily grind and think about something fun and exciting (even if for just a few minutes).

This is why email is like the 8th wonder of the world.

It’s also why, if I could only pick ONE selling tool, email’d be it.

And guess what?

The first issue of The Crypto Marketing Newsletter goes over 10 extremely cool ways to “step” into your prospect’s world with email.

To be a bright spot in their day.

And even make your emails fun to read and BUY from.

Ben Settle

P.S. This first email marketing issue goes to the printer Monday. So subscribe and grab it why you still can over yonder at:

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No time for chit-chat today.

My new print (i.e. offline) newsletter is now launched.

It’s called “The Crypto Marketing Newsletter.” And if you want to see if it’s something you want “in” on, just zippity-doo-dah on over to:

Ben Settle

P.S. Remember Friday’s email about daily emails?

Once in a while someone asks a similar (and equally good) question about why I send out FULL emails, instead of teasers that get people to click to a blog or whatever.

After all, few of the goo-roos do full emails, right?

Well, guess what?

Top email copywriter John Manley (email him at john (at) johncamanley.com if you’re looking for an email copywriter who kicks bootay) recently took the full email vs teaser “taste test” on one of his clients’ lists, and here were his results over 4 unique tests:

• Test A – Teaser email won by 18%

• Test B – Full content email won by 122%

• Test C – Full content email won by 144%

• Test D – Full content email won by a whopping 3333% (literally a 1:33 ratio)

Not too shabby, is it?

A 3,000% better conversion ain’t nothing to sneeze at.

And it’s especially interesting how the teaser won the first time… but as the list got “used” to the full emails it wasn’t even close.

Just something to think about.

You can learn 10 easy ways to write emails that are perfect for sending out in full like this (that people love reading and buying from) in the first issue of The Crypto Marketing Newsletter over yonder:

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An eagle-eyed subscriber asks…

“Ben, why in the world do you write an email every day? Don’t people get sick of hearing from you? Aren’t you getting spam complaints? How come you do it and none of the gurus do?”

All excellent questions.

And I thought it’d be fun to list some of the reasons why I email every day (or almost every week day, to be more accurate).

Ready?

OK, here goes…

1. Nobody else in my market does it (so I stick out)

2. Demonstrates my knowledge each day (I once heard it like this: if you’re going to position yourself as an “expert” about something, shouldn’t you have something to say about that subject every day?)

3. Turns OFF the people I don’t want as customers

4. Turns ON the people I do want as customers (and has decreased my spam complaints to almost zero)

5. Helps me generate more ideas for other projects

6. Constantly adds content to my blog

7. More sales

8. My writing is always getting faster (a LOT faster)

9. Helps me identify my best customers

10. Therapeutic (I almost HAVE to do it now)

So anyway, those are a few reasons.

And speaking of email, check out these apples:

In the first issue of my offline newsletter (on sale Monday) I cover over 10 different ways to write emails that make it a total no-brainer for someone to write weekly, bi-weekly and… yes.. even DAILY emails.

But not just any old emails.

I’m talking about the kind of emails people look forward to reading (and buying from), that’ll whip you into a true email stud (or studette).

Anyway, it launches Monday.

If you’re interested, keep an eye on your inbox…

Ben Settle

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I’ll always remember 2009 as “the year of the flake.”

Seemed like there was a flake behind every bush.

Flakey accountants.

Flakey doctors.

Flakey printers.

And even my own flakiness reared its ugly mug (i.e. the Crackerjack Selling CD Club I built up for 6 months… only to drop it after 30 days).

I can’t speak for other flakes out there.

But my excuse for flakiness was taking on too much.

Seems I couldn’t tell anyone “no” and jumped into every project I saw. The result was not living up to all my commitments and, yes, being a big, fat flake.

Ugh.

Why am I telling you this?

Because nobody is immune to this phenomenon.

And if you want to INCREASE your amount of the green stuff (i.e. moola)… and also DECREASE your chance of burnout… then simply learn to F-O-C-U-S. I’ve been doing just that this year and, so far, the first 1.5 months of 2010 have been more productive than the last 6 months of 2009!

By focus, I mean don’t scatterbrain on 8 or 9 ventures.

Instead, zoom in on ONLY 3.

Why 3?

Because your brain likes 3.

Which is why, while working on one project, people tend to get cool ideas for the other two projects simmering on the stove.

Example?

OK, right now I’m working on a client sales letter, various emails/pages for another business, and my new print (offline) newsletter I’m launching next week. And it’s amazing how, while working one project, solutions and ideas for the OTHER two projects “slip” into my head — sometimes so fast I gotta stop to write all the ideas down.

Kinda groovy how the mind does that.

Anyway, just something to chew on.

I know it sounds weird.

But less work is the key to more of the green stuff.

Ben Settle

P.S. Next week I’m launching my print (offline) newsletter. The feedback on the first couple issues and bonuses (i.e. bribes) that come with it have been incredible. One hardcore direct marketer (Doberman Dan Gallapoo) said it’s one of the best marketing newsletters he’s read since Gary Halbert’s.

Is it really that good?

IMHO, it’s not even in Gary’s newsletter’s league.

But that kind of feedback from a veteran kitchen table entrepreneur like Dan is a good sign.

Stay tuned for more details…

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Some people wonder why I don’t do eBooks.

In other words… why, for example, don’t I offer Crackerjack Selling Secrets or The Copywriting Grab Bag as digital, instantly downloadable products… and don’t I know I’m losing sales as a result?

Methinks it’s high time I ’splain myself on this.

Here are some common reasons people give on why you should sell eBooks, and my reasoning against those reasons (how’s that for a tongue twister?)

Reason #1: Hassle mailing & printing stuff

This is a huge myth.

Fact is, it’s LESS work and thinking on your part selling physical products. Why? Because when you have it set up right (with the right fulfillment house) it’s all automated anyway.

For example:

When someone buys one of my books, I get a notice from 1Shoppingcart and so does the fulfillment house. They then print, pack and ship them for me, and send the customer (and me) the tracking numbers (usually books are shipped on the same day).

This way, I don’t mess around with software.

I don’t waste time mailing people passwords.

And I don’t freak out about illegal downloads, etc.

The key thing here is “the right” fulfillment house, though. I’ve gone through 3 in the last 12 months and the 3rd one was the charm. If you need printing and fulfillment done, Rich Selby is your man. This dude and his staff will take care of your business as if it was THEIRS:

Reason #2: No instant gratification

One customer recently said he almost didn’t buy Crackerjack Selling Secrets because of the no-instant-gratification factor.

He has a point.

And I definitely understand where he’s coming from on this.

Some people really do prefer digitally delivered products and hate waiting around for the mail, etc.

But I’ve observed something about this over the years.

Overall (this is not ALWAYS the case by any means, so no offense to anyone in particular), I have found physical product buyers to be MUCH better customers. In other words, they need less hand holding. Don’t complain as much. And have less of an “entitlement” mentality.

They also are better REPEAT buyers.

Why is this?

I don’t know for sure.

But it could be there’s more gratitude and feeling of getting something truly valuable when it’s mailed to you. It’s almost like Christmas when it arrives. It generates good feelings in people about you and your business. I know I feel that way when I buy something that’s mailed to me. But most people don’t exactly drool over downloading “air”. Especially when it has to be printed out and you see how much FLUFF is in most eBooks.

More:

People are FAR more likely to READ a physical book.

That, to me, is the numero uno reason against eBooks. It does you no good to buy one of my books and not read it. Frankly, I’d rather you NOT buy one of my books if you are just going to let the book collect dust on a shelf.

If that means I lose a few sales, so be it.

Reason #3: More refunds

Some say refunds are higher with physical products.

Is that true?

I don’t know, but it could be.

The reasoning is, people often download digital products, they then get “lost” on the hard drive (filed away for later), and then forgotten about until after the guarantee period.

I guess this is supposed to be a good thing.

Almost like the seller is “getting away” with something.

But I don’t agree with that mentality at all.

What’s the point of selling products that are forgotten? That don’t help people solve an urgent (painful!) problem? That don’t make a difference in their lives?

Take Courtney Houde, for example.

Courtney studied my Copywriting Grab Bag book so intensely (scratch that — FANATICALLY) that it helped take him from working the nightshift at Subway to working as an inhouse copywriter for one of the most successful info-marketers on the Internet.

Or copywriter Marya Miller who told me she’s getting so much “milage” out of it, that it’s made a difference in meeting her mortgage every month.

Or Roger Haeske (the “42 year old teenager”) who, shortly after buying it, said just ONE tip alone (on page 106) was already putting money in his pocket with an article he wrote.

Or Terry Dean who said he found something like 10 new things to test on only his first reading.

Or… or… or… ah the heck with it.

I think ya get the idea.

Anyway, hopefully that sheds some light on why I don’t do eBooks (The Affiliate Trump Card being the exception).

I understand I might be losing sales.

And I do realize it makes those who prefer digital products (understandably) annoyed and less likely to buy.

But it’s been more than worth it, so far.

Not only in sales… but in the results people have had.

Ben Settle

P.S. By the way, the above is just the strategy I choose to use for my specific business model. There are some businesses who definitely SHOULD only sell digital products. It all boils down to what’s best for YOUR own unique goals, strategy and marketplace dynamics.

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